1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and a control method and a control program thereof, said apparatus comprising a local interface and a network interface, and capable of transmitting an image data to a host apparatus through the local interface and the network interface.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, in general, as an apparatus such as a facsimile, a scanner, a printer and the like as well as an image processing apparatus such as a multi function machine (MFP: multi function peripheral) combining plural ones of functions of these apparatuses, a product comprising both of interfaces such as an I/F (local I/F) to be connected on one for one base with a PC (personal computer) such as an USB (see non-patent document 1 as mentioned below), and an I/F (network I/F) connectable with a plurality of PCs through LAN using CSMA/CD (see non-patent document 2 as mentioned below) and the like has come to be provided.
In this type of the conventional apparatuses, there has been known an apparatus provided with a public network IF used for a facsimile communication and the like and a local I/F used for connecting to a host apparatus such as a PC to utilize printing and scan functions, in recent years. However, accompanied with the provision of the recent technical standard of an internet facsimile, the requirement of a network printing function and so on, a multi function machine comprising a network I/F such as Ethernet (brand name) has entered the stage.
[Non Patent Document 1]
UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS: http://www.usb.org/faq/
[Non Patent Document 2]
IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD (ETHERNET): http://www.grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/3
In the image processing apparatus connectable to the PC through the local I/F or the network I/F as described above, the sending and receiving of the data can be performed with the PC side.
For example, as to a scan function of the image processing apparatus having the scanner, it will be appreciated that, in the type of the operation of the scan-function at present, there are known a so-called PULL scan function for starting a series of operations from the PC by operating a scan driver which is an application operated on the PC, and a so-called PUSH scan function for transmitting a signal to the application of the PC side by depressing a key of the apparatus side and starting a series of operations from the apparatus side.
Particularly, in the later type of the PUSH scan function, since there exists only one set of the PC as a partner at the time of the local I/F connection, when a protocol assumed in advance between the apparatus and a scan driver is followed, it is possible to provide a usage method which completes a scan action at one time only of the key operation and is easy to use.
However, in case the image processing apparatus is connected to the network through the network I/F, since there is a possibility that there exist a plurality of PCs to which signals are to be transmitted, an operation to select and decide a destination to be communicated is required so as to send a scan image to a desired PC.
Further, in the case of the image processing apparatus comprising both of the local I/F and the network I/F, though a connection method with the PC can be arbitrarily selected by an user, heretofore, since the operation menu has been required to change depending on the image processing apparatus to be used and the interface to be connected, it has been necessary to register beforehand in the apparatus information as to which type of the interface is to be used.
Further, heretofore, there has been a problem that, every time the interface I/F used for the communication with the PC is changed, time and effort are spent for changing the registration information of the apparatus. Further, when a destination selection menu is operated at the time of the network I/F usage setting, even when there is only one destination, the selection operation is required, and thus, usability has been bad.